Control mechanism



Aug. 16, 1938. H. E. LlSK 2,126,900

CONTROL MECHANISM.

Filed Nov. 9, 1937 30 therein.

Patented Aug. 16, 1938 PATENT OFFICE CONTROL MECHANISM Harry E. Lisk, Independence, Iowa Application November 9, 1937, Serial No. 173,715

10 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in con trol mechanism and more especially to inertia actuated mechanism for controlling valves or the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a mechanism adapted to be mounted on a vehicle and motivated by starting and stopping of the vehicle or by the rocking motion thereof for intermittently operating a valve controlling the feed or passage of a fiowable material or substance.

A specific object is to provide means for automatically resalting the ice in refrigerator cars while they are in transit without opening the car.

A further object is to furnish resalting means for the ice of refrigerator cars, which means is controlled by movement of the cars.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View of a refrigerating car, partly in elevation, and showing my improved mechanism installed Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of such mechanism shown controlling the resaltlng of the ice in a refrigerator compartment of such a car.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a detail.

Referring to the drawing, 4 indicates any suitable type of refrigerator car provided with one or more ice tanks 5 which may be supplied with ice through top openings 6 provided with covers l0 or doors I. 8 indicates cocks for use in draining the tanks. I

In accordance with the invention a hopper or other supply means 9 may be positioned at one side of each tank to supply a movable substance,

such as salt in, which passes into the tank through a conduit II having a control valve l2. Obviously such valve may be of any suitable type, but for the purposes of illustration, I have shown it as a paddle wheel I3 that is mounted on a rotatable shaft I4 journaled in opposite sides of the conduit II. Externally of the conduit, the shaft is provided with a ratchet wheel IE that is engaged by a spring-pressed pawl I 6 pivotally mounted on an arm I! which has one of 55 its ends rockably mounted on the shaft. The

opposite end of the arm is joined by a slot and pin connection I8 to a reciprocating rod I9 having a rigidly projecting arm 20 that carries a finger 2| terminating in a piston or abutment 22.

The rod is also connected at one end by a slot 5 and pin connection 23 to an end of a lever 25 that is pivotally mounted at 25 on a fixedly arranged supporting bracket 26. The opposite end of the rocking lever is joined by slot and pin connection 21 to a finger 28 that terminates in a piston or abutment 29. In accordance with the present invention the abutments 22 and 29 are arranged in a chamber, cylinder or guide-way 39 and the fingers are guided by opposite walls SI I of the cylinder. A ball 32 of suitable weight is arranged in the cylinder and is adapted to roll back and forth due to inertia brought about by movement of the vehicle, and each time it strikes one of the abutments, it causes actuation of the valve. I2 to feed material, such as salt Ill from the hopper 9 through the conduit II into the ice chamber. In this way, if the mechanism is used for resalting the ice in a refrigerator car, salt will be fed intermittently from the hopper, through the conduit and on to the ice in the a tank 5.

Any suitable means may be employed to hold the pistons or abutments in normal position. For example, coil springs 33 may surround the fingers and be arranged between the abutments and the opposite ends of the cylinder 32.

It will be obvious that the size of the ball 32 and the length of the guide-Way 39 will depend upon the shock necessary to apply the force, and it will also be manifest that various types of transmission means may be employed between the .abutments 22, 29 and the valve I2 instead of the specific mechanism disclosed. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that hydraulic trans- 40 mission means may be used instead of mechanical means.

While I have disclosed the invention for use in resalting the ice in refrigerator cars, I am aware that my control means may be used for various purposes. I therefore desire it to be strictly understood that my control mechanism described and illustrated is in a form suitable for my purposes, and that changes .and various modifications may be made as may be convenient or desirable without departing from the salient features of the invention, and I therefore intend the following claims to cover such modifications as naturally fall within the lines of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination with a movable vehicle carrying a conduit through, which a substance is adapted to pass, a valve interposed in the conduit for controlling the passage of the substance therethrough, a guide-Way, a ball guided by the guide-way and adapted to roll to and fro due to movements of the vehicle, and means actuated by said ball for controlling said valve.

2. The combination with a movable vehicle carrying a conduit through which a substance is adapted to pass, a valve interposed in the conduit for controlling the passage of the substance therethrough, a guide-way, a ball guided by the guide-way and adapted to roll to and fro due to movements of the vehicle, and means actuated by said ball for controlling said valve, the last mentioned means comprising oppositely disposed movable abutments arranged at opposite ends of said guide-way.

3. The combination with a movable vehicle carrying a conduit through which a substance is adapted to pass, a valve interposed in the conduit for controlling the passage of the substance therethrough, a guide-way, a ball guided by the guide-way and adapted to roll to and fro due to movements of the vehicle, and means actuated by said ball for controlling said valve, the last mentioned means including fingers slidably arranged at opposite ends of the guide-way and terminating in oppositely disposed abutments arranged to be struck by the ball, and means for normally holding the abutments in predetermined positions.

4. The combination with a movable vehicle carrying a conduit through which a substance is adapted to pass, a valve interposed in the conduit for controlling the passage of the substance therethrough, a guide-Way, a ball guided by the guide-way and adapted to roll to and fro due to movements of the vehicle, and means actuated by said ball for controlling said valve, the last mentioned means including fingers slidably arranged at opposite ends of the guide-way and terminating in abutments arranged to be struck by the ball, a rod operatively connected to the valve, an arm rigidly united with the rod and with one of said fingers, and a rocking lever operatively connected to the other finger and to said rod.

5. The combination with a vehicle having a refrigerant chamber, of a salt chamber arranged adjacent thereto, a conduit placing said chambers in communication, a valve in the conduit for controlling the flow of salt from the salt chamber into the refrigerant chamber, a guideway, a ball arranged to roll to and fro in the guide-Way, and means operatively connected to the valve and actuated by the ball for operating the valve to cause feeding of the salt from the salt chamber into the refrigerant chamber.

6. The combination with a vehicle having a refrigerant chamber, of a salt chamber arranged adjacent thereto, a conduit placing said chambers in communication, a valve in the conduit for controlling the fiovv of salt from the salt chamber into the refrigerant chamber, a guideway, a bal1 arranged to roll to and fro in the guide-Way, and means operatively connected to the valve and actuated by the ball for operating the valve to cause feeding of the salt from the salt chamber into the refrigerant chamber, the last mentioned means comprising oppositely disposed movable abutments arranged at opposite ends of said guide-way.

7. The combination with a vehicle having a refrigerant chamber, of a salt chamber arranged adjacent'thereto, a conduit placing said chambers in communication, a valve in the conduit for controlling the flow of salt from the salt chamber into the refrigerant chamber, a guideway, a ball arranged to roll to and fro in the guide-way, and means operatively connected to the valve and actuated by the ball for operating the valve to cause feeding of the salt from the salt chamber into the refrigerant chamber, the last mentioned means including fingers slidably arranged at opposite ends of the guide-way and terminating in oppositely disposed abutments arranged to be struck by the ball, and means for normally holding the abutments in predeterlast mentioned means including fingers slidably,

arranged at opposite ends of the guide-way and terminating in abutments arranged to be struck by the ball, a rod operatively connected to the valve, an arm rigidly united with the rod and with one of said fingers, and a rocking lever operatively connected to the other finger and to said rod.

9. The combination with a refrigerator car having a refrigerant-chamber, a conduit con nected to the upper portion of said chamber for introducing salt into the chamber, salt supply means for feeding salt to the conduit, a valve in the conduit for controlling the fiow of salt therethrough, guide means operatively positioned relatively to the valve, a ball arranged to roll back and forth in the guide means, a rod operatively connected to the valve, an arm rigidly united with the rod, a rocking lever operatively connected to the rod, slidable fingers connected to the arm and lever and projecting toward one another into the guide means, abutments carried by the fingers and adapted to be struck by the ball, and resilient means for yieldingly holding the abutments in predetermined positions.

10. The combination with a movable vehicle carrying a salt container, an ice container and a passageway placing said containers in conmunication, of feeding means interposed in the passageway for controlling the passage of salt therethrough. a weight adapted to move back and forth due to movements of the vehicle, and means actuated by said weight for controlling the feeding means.

HARRY E. LISK. 

